Apparatus and methods for pile placement

ABSTRACT

Assemblies for improving the installation of pilings into the ground are disclosed. The assemblies may include a modified pipe pile and a removable point inserted into the end of the pile. Methods of using the assemblies in the installation of pipe piling into the ground are also disclosed.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates to methods of installing piles into the groundand for improving the strength and stability of the installed piles.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Helical pipes or piles are typically hollow pipes with helical, spiral,or screw-like flanges on the exterior of the pipe. The piles areinstalled into the ground with the assistance of a rotational motordrive transmits rotational force or torque into the pipe or pile. Themotor turns the reversible drive in the direction that advantageouslyuses the helical flanges to help move the pipe into the ground. Once afirst section of pipe is placed into the ground, a second section ofhelical pile may be attached to the top end of the first section, andthe process is repeated until a column of multiple joined helical pilesections is installed into the ground at the desired depth.

During the installation process, the earth surrounding the pile will bedisturbed and will experience some displacement that loosens the areaimmediately around the pipe column. The stability and bearing strengthof the piles, therefore, may be improved with the inclusion of grout,cement or other cement-like products that cure in place between the pipeexterior and the earth, particularly at or near the bottom of the pipecolumn. In typical installations, however, each section of pipe ishollow so that dirt, rocks and earth move into the hollow pipe columnitself as the piles are installed further into the ground. Less energyfrom the rotational drive motor is needed to turn and install hollowpiles into the ground because the pipe column in such cases does notaddress compacted, displaced earth as the piles move downward. As aresult, grout and similar products cannot be conveyed to the bottom ofthe column through the hollow interior of the pipes.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates to apparatus and methods of installing piles withadhesive material around the exterior of the piles. Piles have upper, ortop, ends and lower, or bottom ends, when the piles are in substantiallyvertical position. Pile segments may be connected together by meansknown in the art, which include without limitation the use of fasteners,threaded couplers, or coupling mechanisms, to increase the overalllength of the pile assembly. The interior of the pipes are hollow, andthe pipes are open at both the upper and lower ends.

In a first aspect, the disclosure includes an assembly having acylindrical pipe or pile with a first and second end having one or morehelical, spiral, or screw-like flanges or blades fixed onto the exteriorof the pile. The blades or flanges may be placed proximate to second, orlower, end of the pile. When the pile is attached to a rotational drivemotor, the flanges assist in the installation of the pile into theground when the motor turns in a positive direction. The assemblyincludes a device that plugs or substantially closes the bottom of thefirst pipe in the column to prevent dirt and earth from accumulatingwithin the piles. The device includes an insert portion and a diggingportion. The cross section of the device is circular, and the outerdiameter is configured to be less than the inner diameter of the hollowhelical pile.

In another aspect, the disclosure includes a method of installinghelical pile assemblies that includes forming the pile assembly, placingthe tip of the plug device in the ground, installing the piles to adesired depth, and delivering grout through the piles to the bottom ofthe pile column.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates the bottom end portion of a helical pile and a plug.

FIG. 2 illustrates the end of a pile column with the plug in place.

FIG. 3 illustrates the separation of the end of a helical pile from theplug.

FIG. 4 shows the pile assembly in the ground.

FIG. 5 shows the separation of the end of a helical pile from the plugin the ground.

FIG. 6 shows grout delivered into a cavity.

FIG. 7 illustrates the installed pile assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As described herein, the disclosure includes a helical pile assemblycomprising a pipe or pile and a device or plug. The pipe or pile is ahollow cylinder with a first, upper, or top end and a second, lower, orbottom end. The pipe includes a helical, spiral, or other screw-likeflange or blade fastened to or attached to the exterior of the pipethrough fasteners, welded joints, adhesive joints, or other means knownin the art. The helical flange may be located proximate to the lower endof the pipe. In many embodiments, the helical pile assembly furthercomprises additional segments of pipe that are joined or connectedlengthwise to the first, and bottommost, helical pile. These additionalpipe segments may also comprise helical flanges or blades. The helicalpile assembly also includes a device or plug that may be removablyinserted into the bottom end of the first helical pile of the assembly.The plug, or digging point, includes a pipe insert with a top and bottomand a blade. The outer diameter of the pipe insert is less than that theinner diameter of the helical pile to ensure that the insert may beeasily released upon rotational withdrawal of the pile. In some cases,the bottom of the pipe insert is closed, while in other cases, the topof the pipe insert is closed. In yet other cases, both the top andbottom of the pipe insert is closed.

In many embodiments, the flange of the digging point extends outwardfrom the external sides of the pipe insert. In such instances, the lowerend of the helical pile may be configured with one or more notches,slots, grooves or other cutaway portions that permits the flanges toengage the pile when the pipe insert is placed into the helical pile. Inmany cases, the shape of the notch, groove or cutaway allows the helicalpile to engage the digging point when the pile moves in a positive, ordownward, direction, and to disengage the digging point when the pile isturned in a negative, or upward, direction. The notches are configuredwith sufficient room to allow the pipe to disengage from the plug easilywhen retracted.

In many embodiments, the assemblies of the disclosure are practiced withmetal and metal alloy pipes or piles that are installed into the groundor earth. In other cases, the assemblies of the disclosure may bepracticed with plastic or composite pipes installed into the ground,earth or other materials. Those of skill in the art will recognize thatthe disclosed assemblies may be useful in applications for installingand anchoring pipe or piles in different materials. Moreover, methods ofinstallation may occur at an angle relative to the surface of theground, i.e., at an angle less than 90 degrees.

As described herein, a method of the disclosure comprises the assemblyof a helical pile and a plug or digging point, placing the tip of thedigging point into the ground or earth, and turning the helical pilewith a reversible drive in a positive downward direction while engagingthe digging point until a desired depth is reached. The method furtherincludes reversing the drive to rotate the helical pile in a negativeupward direction to disengage the helical pile from the digging point.As the helical pile moves away from the digging point, a cavity oropening is formed between the bottom of the helical pipe and the top ofthe digging point pipe insert. The disclosure includes placing grout,cement, or cement-like materials into the formed opening. In many cases,the materials are poured into the cavity through the pipes or piles. Inother cases, the materials may be pumped into the cavity through a lineor hose placed inside of the pipe or piles. The method includesreversing the drive to rotate the pile again in a positive downwarddirection until the desired depth is reached while the grout movesoutward to surround the exterior of the pile assembly.

In other embodiments of the invention, the grout is deposited into thepipe interior before the pipe is separated from the digging point. Afterthe grout is poured or pumped into the helical pile interior, the driveis reversed and the helical pile rotated in a negative upward direction.The grout inside of the pile will spread outward from the pile column.The drive direction is reversed again and the helical pile turned tomove in a positive downward direction until the target depth is reachedwhile the grout moves outward to surround the exterior of the pileassembly.

Having now generally provided the disclosure, the same will be morereadily understood through reference to the following examples which areprovided by way of illustration, and are not intended to be limiting ofthe disclosure, unless specified.

Example 1

Referring to FIG. 1, helical pile assembly 100 includes helical pile 200and digging point 300. Helical pile 200 includes pipe 210 and helicalflange 220. Digging point 300 includes pipe insert 310 that is open atthe top end but closed at the bottom end, and blade 320. Blade 320 hasflanges that extend upwards and away from the exterior of pipe insert310.

The outer diameter of pipe insert 310 is less than the inner diameter ofpipe 210 so that digging point 300 fits easily into the helical pile 200as shown in FIG. 2. Notch 230 in pipe 210 allows pipe 210 to fit pipeinsert 310 into the pipe over blade 320. When helical pile 200 isretracted from digging point 300, the weight of digging point 300 andthe configuration of notch 230 allow easy separation as shown in FIG. 3.

Example 2

Referring to FIG. 4, helical pile assembly is installed into ground 500at a desired depth. The drive motor is reversed and helical pipe 200 isretracted upward away from pipe insert 310, leaving opening 600 as shownin FIG. 5. Grout 400 is poured through helical pipe 200 to fill opening600 in FIG. 6. Helical pile 200 is rotated positively downward againuntil the desired depth is re-attained, while grout 400 moves outwardand around helical pile assembly 100 as seen in FIG. 7. Grout 400 curesin place and provides additional stability and bearing strength tohelical pile 200.

Example 3

Referring to FIG. 4, helical pile assembly is installed into ground 500at a desired depth. Grout 400 is poured through helical pipe 200 to fillthe hollow interior of the pipe. The drive motor is reversed and helicalpipe 200 is retracted upward away from pipe insert 310, while grout 400spreads outward as shown in FIG. 6. Helical pile 200 is turned in adownward direction again until the target depth is achieved, while grout400 moves outward and around helical pile assembly 100 as seen in FIG.7.

REFERENCES

All references cited herein, including patents, patent applications, andpublications, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties,whether previously specifically incorporated or not.

The citation of documents herein is not to be construed as reflecting anadmission that any is relevant prior art. Moreover, their citation isnot an indication of a search for relevant disclosures. All statementsregarding the date(s) or contents of the documents is based on availableinformation and is not an admission as to their accuracy or correctness.

Having now fully described the inventive subject matter, it will beappreciated by those skilled in the art that the same can be performedwithin a wide range of equivalent parameters, concentrations, andconditions without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosureand without undue experimentation.

While this disclosure has been described in connection with specificembodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of furthermodifications. This application is intended to cover any variations,uses, or adaptations of the disclosure following, in general, theprinciples of the disclosure and including such departures from thepresent disclosure as come within known or customary practice within theart to which the disclosure pertains and as may be applied to theessential features hereinbefore set forth.

1. A helical pile assembly comprising a cylindrical pipe having a firstend and a second end; a helical screw blade located proximate to thesecond end of the pipe; and a digging point comprising a closed-bottomedpipe insert and a blade, wherein the pipe insert has an outer diametersmaller than the internal diameter of said pipe at its second end. 2.The helical pile assembly of claim 1, wherein the blade of the diggingpoint comprises flanges extending outward from the sides of the pipeinsert.
 3. The helical pile assembly of claim 2, wherein the second endof the pipe comprises slots configured to receive the flanges of thedigging point blade.
 4. The helical pile assembly of claim 3, whereinthe slots engage said flanges when the pipe rotates into the ground, anddisengage said flanges when the pipe is rotated out of the ground.
 5. Amethod for installing helical pipe into the ground comprising:assembling the helical pile assembly according to claim 1; placing thetip of the digging point of the helical pile into the ground; rotatingthe helical pile assembly to move the pipe and digging point down untilthe desired depth is reached; reversing the rotational direction todisengage the pipe away from the digging point and creating an openingin the ground; pouring grout into said opening through the pipe; androtating the pipe until the desired depth is reached, wherein said groutis displaced and moves outward to surround the exterior of the helicalpile assembly.